Highlights

  • Fan art imagines Alan Ritchson as Batman, receiving positive feedback from fans excited about the potential casting.
  • The artwork showcases a darker and more serious tone for the upcoming Batman film, in line with Zack Snyder and Ben Affleck's interpretation.
  • The success of "Superman: Legacy" will likely set the tone for "The Brave and The Bold" and future DCU films in James Gunn's new DC Universe.

A fan-favorite casting pick for the DCU's Batman has come to life in an incredible piece of fan art. Following James Gunn's decision to leave Robert Pattinson's Batman out of the official DC Universe, rumors have circulated regarding casting an entirely new Bruce Wayne.

While Pattinson's Caped Crusader will live on in upcoming Elseworlds projects from the studio, fans have already begun placing actors in the starring role of the upcoming Batman film, The Brave and The Bold, which is slated but currently without an official release date. Jensen Ackles has been a popular pick, as has Jack Reacher actor Alan Ritchson, who also guest-starred in the beloved Superman series Smallville and dipped his toe into the DC waters when he played Hawk in Titans.

RELATED: The Batman 2: Robert Pattinson Dons The Perfect Batsuit To Fight Rumored Villain In Fan Art

However, in an amazing photorealistic fan creation by artist Aitesam Farooq, also known as @spdrmnkyxxiii on Instagram, Ritchson finally dons a Batsuit. Despite the battered and broken nature of the mask and some serious gashes on the actor's face, Ritchson's Dark Knight looks impressive. Most comments on Farooq's post favor this proposed casting, especially after Ritchson's star-making performance in the Reacher series. Many fans are eager to see Ritchson's Batman alongside David Corenswet's Superman. Corenswet's casting was made official earlier this year, and the actor will make his DCU debut in Gunn's Superman: Legacy.

While Ritchson's casting remains unofficial, the actor has previously expressed his excitement at the prospect of becoming Bruce Wayne. Farooq's artwork has also provided a steely visual aid to help fans imagine Ritchson's casting and a possible tone for the upcoming movie and Gunn's greater DCU. Gunn is primarily known for his more comedic approach to superheroes, as seen in The Suicide Squad and the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. However, this new artwork depicts a darker, more serious Batman, in line with Zack Snyder and Ben Affleck's interpretation. Superman: Legacy will likely set the tone for The Brave and The Bold and subsequent DCU films, as it is supposed to officially kick off Gunn's brand-new DC Universe in the style of the MCU.

Currently, not much is officially known about The Brave and The Bold. Andy Muschietti will direct the upcoming movie featuring Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce Wayne. The announcement of Muschetti's attachment to Batman DCU movie was met with dubious reactions from fans, who were quick to bring up the box office failure of The Flash and its reputation for being one of the worst DC movies of all time. In addition to that, Muschietti's Batman will have to co-exist with Matt Reeves' widely acclaimed The Batman and any upcoming sequels.

Only time will tell how Muschietti's The Brave and The Bold will fare and whether Ritchson will be along for the ride in the role of Gotham's Guardian.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is in development at DC Studios.

MORE: DC Comics: Best Batman Stories Of 2023, Ranked

Source: @spdrmnkyxxiii/Instagram